The AMCC has added two facilitators to the ranks of the NCAA Division III OneTeam Program.

Penn State Altoona Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Sue Patterson and Head Athletic Trainer Jessica Welsh participated in the first class of OneTeam “train the trainer” educators since before the Covid 19 pandemic.  They joined a group of fifty colleagues from across Division III earlier this month at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.

The program was the brainchild of the Division III LGBTQ Working Group, launching in Fall 2019.  The purpose of the program is to promote a culture of respect and inclusion of colleagues and teammates in the LGBTQ+ community through education and conversation.  The use of "real world" case studies as part of the training is a key component.

“My first experience with the NCAA OneTeam training was during the pandemic,” said Welsh.  “The training was led by AMCC Commissioner Donna Ledwin and former Mount Aloysius lacrosse coach and SWA Danielle O'Leary. After that training I knew I wanted to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.”

It took her some time to find the courage to step forward, but Welsh said she was able to do it with the support of colleague and mentor Patterson.

“Sue is an amazing advocate, speaker and educator,” Welsh said of her PSA colleague.  “I saw the difference she was making and wanted to be a part of that fight. I chose to become a one team facilitator to better myself, Penn State Altoona, the AMCC and my community.”

Patterson, who is also a facilitator for the new Division Inclusive Leaders Program, was very much on the same page as Welsh.

“I was eager to become a facilitator for both programs because it is important to invite people to the table to engage,” she explained.  “Facilitating allows me to engage with others in what can be tough conversations.  These conversations lead to people understanding one another better and helps us all see the value in our differences.

 “What better place to foster true belonging and celebration of one another than within athletics — a place of leadership, competition, resiliency and growth.”

The AMCC was the first Division III conference to engage 100% of its member institutions back in 2022.  Ledwin and O’Leary have teamed up to conduct trainings for 16 different institutions and SAACs across four conferences.

"You can't do your best work when you are not respected, and no team can reach its highest potential when all members are not included," said Ledwin.  "We who are straight and cisgender make a lot of assumptions about things like sexual orientation and gender identity.  Without education and conversation, we can be careless in our words and actions.  Without meaning to, we diminish the talents and contributions and even the humanity of those in the LGBTQ+ community whom we work with every day.  OneTeam has been a great opportunity to raise awareness about this."

Welsh looks forward to making a difference with her new training.

“Everyone deserves the right to be accepted for who they are and treated with respect and dignity,” she stated.  “Being kind and compassionate is one of the easiest things we can do as human beings. One of my favorite quotes, from Robin Williams, one that I find myself coming back to again and again is the following: "Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”